Frozen fowl package and container therefor



Sept. 18, 1962 H. R. RUSSELL ETAL 3,054,682

FROZEN FOWL PACKAGE AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed April 13, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORE? F 7 Henry r5. fiussefl Frank W Z 0 Che ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1962 H. R. RUSSELL ETAL FROZEN FOWL PACKAGE AND CONTAINER THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1959 INVENTOR5 Henry 1?. Passe Fran/r W Zacke ATTORNEY ept. 18, 1962 H. R. RUSSELL ETAL 7 3,054,682

FROZEN FONL PACKAGE AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Filed April 15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Henry fl? Passe Fran/r M/ Locke United States Patent 3,054,682 FROZEN FOWL PACKAGE AND CONTAINER THEREFOR Henry R. Russell, St. Paul, and Frank W. Locke, Minneapolis, Minn., assignors to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 805,976 6 Claims. (Cl. 99194) This invention relates to an improvement in turkey boxes and deals particularly with a box of the type described which can be formed on printing, creasing and slotting apparatus and which need not be die cut.

During recent years it has become practice to pack a series of turkeys in a container of corrugated board or the like which is constructed in such a manner as to permit the freezing of the birds after they have been packed. Containers of this type often comprise tray shaped bodies having two opposed end walls which are partially of reduced height so that air may be circulated through the boxes when they are stacked one upon the other. In order to produce a carton having sutficient strength to permit stacking of the containers one upon the other during the freezing operation, triangular corner posts are provided in the corners of the box to increase the stacking strength. One of the major difficulties with containers of this type resides in the fact that they have normally been of irregular shape and include cuts which extend transversely as well as longitudinally of the blank. It has been necessary to produce these containers on a platen press or other such die cutting press. Presses of this type are normally manually fed, thus increasing the cost of production. It is an object of the present invention to provide a container of the same general type having the advantages of the previous structures but which can be produced on automatic relatively high speed slotting and creasing presses.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a container of the type described which can be set up in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort. In cartons of the same general type, it has been usually necessary to form each corner of the container to provide the necessary corner joint and also to stitch the flaps in a manner to form the triangular corner post. It has also usually been necessary to fold inwardly the upper portions of the side walls which are of reduced height and to stitch these flaps in place. We have found that by constructing the container in an unusual manner, the body of the container may be set up by merely stitching together the four corners of the container so as to connect the side walls thereof. The flaps which form the corner posts are merely folded inwardly to terminate against the walls from which they extend. When the turkeys are placed in the container, the bodies of the turkeys act to hold the folded flaps in place and to form the corner post. Furthermore, we have found that it is possible to fold inwardly and downwardly the upper portions of the opposed walls which are of reduced height so that the weight of the turkeys resting upon portions of these flaps will hold them in proper relation. Accordingly, a feature of the present invention resides in a package of birds in which the bodies of the birds act to hold certain of the flaps in their proper relation.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container for frozen fowl, showing the container in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the body of the container before it has been filled.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container cover in inverted position.

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FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a filled container showing the manner in which the bodies of the birds hold certain of the flaps in place.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the body of the container is formed.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the cover of the container is formed.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a filled container showing an additional manner of positioning the bodies of the birds.

The container body A is formed as best illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. This body includes a bottom panel 10 which is foldably connected along parallel fold lines 11 and 12 to side Walls 13 and 14 respectively. The bottom panel 10 is also foldably connected along fold lines 15 and 16 which are in right angular relation to the fold lines 11 and 12 to end walls 17 and 19 respectively. The end walls 17 and 19 are creased as indicated at 20 and 21 respectively parallel the fold lines 15 and 16 to form partial end wall portions of reduced height as will be later described. Slots 22 and 23 extend from the free end of the end wall 17 to the fold line 20 in spaced relation to the slots 24 and 25 which define the edges of the end wall 17. The distance between the fold lines 15 and 20 is substantially equal to the distance between the slots 22 and 24 and the distance between the slots 23 and 25 for a reason which will be later described.

The end wall 19 also includes a pair of slots 26 and 27 which are parallel to the slots 29 and 30 defining the side edges of the side wall 19. The distance between the fold lines 16 and 21 is substantially equal to the distance between the slots 26 and 29, and the distance between the slots 27 and 30.

The side walls 13 and 14 are connected along extensions of the fold line 15 to end Wall flaps 31 and 32. These flaps 31 and 32 are connected to corner post flaps 33 and 34 along extensions of the fold line 20. The opposite edges of the side walls 13 and 14 are connected along extensions of the fold line 16 to end wall flaps 35 and 36. These flaps 35 and 36 are connected along extensions of the fold line 21 to corner post forming flaps 37 and 39.

In usual practice, a fold line 40 extends between the slots 22 and 23 dividing the area between these slots into a liner flange 41 and a bottom flange 42. In a similar manner, the end wall 19 is provided with a transverse score line 43 extending between the slots 26 and 27 which divides the area between these slots into a liner flange 44 and a bottom flange 45.

The container bodies are shipped to the consumer in the flap state illustrated in FIGURE 5. In setting up the containers, into the form illustrated in FIGURE 2, it is only necessary to fold the side and end walls into right angular relation to the bottom panel 10 and to stitch the end wall flaps 3'1 and 32 in face contact with the inner surface of the end wall 17 and to stitch the end flaps 35 and 36 into face contact with the inner surface of the end wall 19. The corner post forming flaps 33, 34, 37 and 39 are next folded inwardly into substantially right angular relation to the end walls 17 and 19 as indicated in FIGURE 2. The flanges 41 and 42 are then folded inwardly along the fold line 20 and the flanges 44 and 45 are folded inwardly along the fold line 21 to hold the corner post forming flaps in inwardly extending relation as shown in FIGURE 2.

The turkeys C or similar fowl to be packed are then inserted into the container body and the container is properly proportioned to accommodate a predetermined number of birds. FIGURE 4 of the drawings indicates six turkeys C resting in the container body. It will be noted that as the birds are inserted, the bodies of the birds engage the corner post forming flaps 33, 34, 37 arid 39 to form them into the diagonal relation indicated in FIGURE 4. It will be also noted that the birds rest upon the flanges 41, 42 at one end of the container and the flanges 44 and 45 at the opposite end thereof to hold these flanges in proper relation. The birds are normally frozen when contained as illustrated'in FIGURE 4, the container bodies being stacked one upon the other.

Similar containers of somewhat smaller size are used for packing four turkeys C. When arranged in this manner, the four birds are arranged to extend diagonally of a the container body A as indicated in FIGURE 7 of the drawings. It will be noted that with either arrangement, the bodies of the turkeys engage against the flaps and hold them in diagonally extending relation.

The container cover may be formed as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, particularly where the bodies of the containers are nested into the covers during the freezing operation. This type of cover is useful when the bodies of the containers are square. The cover B includes a top panel 49 which is foldably connected along parallel fold lines 50 and 51 to side wall panels 52 and 53 respectively. The top panel 49 is also connected along right angularly extending fold lines 54 and 55 to wall panels 56 and 57 respectively. It will be noted that the side walls 52 and 53 are of substantially equal height to the side walls 13 and 14 while the wall panels 56 and 57 are preferably of a height substantially equal to the distance between the fold lines and at one end of the container body and the fold lines 16 and 21 at the opposite end of the container body.

Corner flaps 59 and 60 are connected to one end of the side walls 52 and 53 along extensions of the fold line 54. Corner flaps 61 and 62 are foldably connected to the ends of the side walls 52 and 53 along continuations of the fold line 55; V

The covers are shipped to the user in the flap condition illustrated in FIGURE 6. When the covers are to be used, the wall panels 52, 53, 56 and 57 are folded upwardly in right angular relation to the top panel 49 and the corner flaps are stitched to form a connection between the walls. The corner flaps 59 and 60 are stitched in face contact with the wall panels 56 and the corner flaps 61 and 62 are stitched in face contact with the wall panel 57. When thus assembled, the top B is in the form illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. 7

7 During the freezing operation, the body portions A of the containers may be nested into the covers B while the covers are in the inverted position illustrated in FIGURE 3, the wall panels 56 and 57 of the cover lying outwardly of the end walls 17 and 19 of the container body. Thus when the containers are stacked one above the other, the ends of the container are partially opened so that cold air may be circulated through the container. At the completion of the freezing operation, the container bodies are removed from the containers, the cover portions are inverted and applied to the body of the container so that the full depth walls 52 and 53 lie outwardly of the partial depth end walls 17 and 19 as indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

In View of the manner in which the container is constructed, it maybe produced on automatic printer sliders which form the crease lines which are parallel in one direction of the blank and which form the various slots. The right angular full lines are produced on the corrugator machine at the same time the web of corrugated board is cut into sheets. Thus the cost of production is considerably less than would be experienced if the blanks were die cut as has been usual practice.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of our Improvement in Turkey Boxes, and while we have endeavored to set forth'the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A frozen fowl package including a generally rectangular bottom panel, side wall panels extending upwardly from two opposed side edges of said bottom panel, corner flaps connected to the ends of said side wall panels and extending in right angular relation thereto, end wall panels secured in face contact with said corner flaps, corner post flaps hingedly connected to the ends of said corner flaps and extending diagonally across the cor ners of said bottom panel, and having free ends bearing against said side wall panels, said corner post flaps being held in diagonal relation by the fowl resting upon said bottom panel and bearing against said corner postflaps.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said end wall panels include a pair'of spaced out lines dividing said end wall panels into end portions and an intermediate portion, said cut lines terminating above said bottom panel, fold lines connecting the lower ends of said cut lines, the fold lines dividing said intermediate portions into a relatively narrow bottom portion and a relatively wider hinged portion, said intermediate portion being folded inwardly and downwardly beneath the fowl.

3. A frozen fowl container including a generally rectangular bottom panel, side wall panels foldably connected to two opposed edges of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, end wall panels secured to the remaining opposed walls of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, corner flaps secured to the ends of said side wall panels and folded intoface contact with said end wall panels and secured thereto, corner post flaps hingedly connected to the ends of said corner flaps and folded inwardly at substantially right angular relation thereto, a pair of spaced parallel cut lines in each of said end wall panels extending from the upper edges thereof to points spaced above the fold lines connecting said end wall panels to said bottom panel, a fold line in each end wall panel connecting the lower ends of said out lines, the portion of the end wall panels between said out lines being folded between said corner post flaps, whereby when said container is filled, the product engages and holds said corner post flaps diagonally of the corners of the container.

4. The structure of claim 3 and including an additional score line across each end wall panel between the ends of said out lines and parallel to the first mentioned fold lines.

5. A container formed from a blank comprising a rectangular sheet of paperboard creased along two first spaced lines parallel to two opposed blank edges, two second crease lines extending across the blank parallel to the remaining edges, parallel slots extending into opposite ends of the blank in alignment with said first named crease lines and extending to the intersection of the first named crease lines and extending to the intersection of the first and second crease lines, said crease lines all being spaced a substantially equal distance from the edges of the blank with which they are parallel, said crease lines defining a bottom panel and side and end wall panels of substantially equal height, and end flaps on said side walls, fold lines parallel to said second crease'lines between said second crease lines and'the opposite ends of the blank, said fold lines intersecting said slots, an additional pair of slots extending into each of said opposite ends of the blank from the opposite blank ends to said fold lines said additional slots being parallel to said first named slots and spaced therefrom'a distance substantially equal to the distance between said fold lines and said second crease lines, said side and end wall panels extending upwardly from said bottom panel, the portions of said end flaps between said fold lines and said second crease lines being secured to the portions of said end wall panels outwardly of saidadditional slots, the remaining portions of said end flaps being folded inwardly into generally parallel relation to said side walls, and the portion of said end wall panels between said additional slots being folded inwardly between said remaining portions of said end flaps.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which the portions of said end wall panels between said additional creases are provided with second fold lines extending across the same between said additional slots and parallel to said first fold lines.

1,085,188 Arnold Ian. 27, 1914 6 Hinrichs Nov. 18, Henderson Sept. 13, Gross May 13, Guyer Jan. 2, Nydegger May 27, Bolding Sept. 16, Currivan Jan. 27, Guyer May 5,

Stotz Apr. 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Aug. 23, 

1. A FROZEN FOWL PACKAGE INCLUDING A GENERALY RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PANEL, SIDE WALL PANELS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM TWO OPPOSED SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, CORNER FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALL PANELS AND EXTENDING IN RIGHT ANGULAR RELATION THERETO, ENDS WALL PANELS SECURED IN FACE CONTACT WITH SAID CORNER FLAPS, CORNER POST FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF SAID CORNER FLAPS AND EXTENDING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE CORNERS OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS, AND HAVING FREE ENDS BEARING AGAINST SAID SIDE WALL PANELS, SAID CORNER POST FLAP BEGING HELD IN DIAGONAL RELATION BY THE FOWL RESTING UPON SAID BOTTOM PANEL AMD BEARING AGAINST SAID CORNER POST FLAPS. 